Most likely, Ryan Torain will start at running back, and Williams will be elevated to the 53-man roster some time this week (going off the last two weeks’ roster moves, late Friday or Saturday). Chad Simpson, who was added two weeks ago, but was inactive against St. Louis and used only on special teams last week, likely would be the third running back on Sunday.

“It happens,” Williams said this morning in the locker room. “It’s a part of the business, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me. But, that’s life. You’ll have little bumps in the road, and it’s about how you respond to them.”

Williams, an undrafted rookie out of LSU, said he hasn’t been told if he’ll be elevated to the roster, but is going about his duties as if that will be the case.
“I’m not sure. We’ll see. We hadn’t really spoke about it, so I’ll prepare like I am, and if I’m not, then I’m prepared anyway,” Williams said. “Just go out there and try to do whatever the coaches want me to do. So, if it’s going out there, getting a few carries, or going out there in pass protection, just go out there and be prepared for whatever.”

James, who is first cousins with Edgerrin James and like the former Colts’ star as well as Washington’s Portis, Santana Moss, Rocky McIntosh and Phillip Buchanon went to Miami, went undrafted in April.

He spent the preseason with Indianapolis and had a team-high 26 carries for 85 yards. But he was released and later signed to New England’s practice squad.

The Patriots cut James yesterday, and he said that 90 minutes later, he received the call informing him Washington had picked him up.

“Any time you get an opportunity to come on any NFL team, it’s a great opportunity. They haven’t really told me anything, so I’m just going to come out and try to practice as hard as I can and just play my role,” said the 6-foot, 215-pound James, who in 2009 played in 12 games for Miami and had 103 carries for 492 yards and six touchdowns. He also had 13 catches for 85 yards. “We got a family at UM, so it definitely made the transaction a lot easier, having a lot of Miami guys here.

“I feel like I can block good, catch the ball real well,” James added. “I just bring a complete game. I feel like I can do everything.”

James, whose plane touched down at Dulles late Tuesday night, had yet to be told how the Redskins envisioned using him.